Pharmaceutical Institute Launches New E-Course Focused on Health Policy

RALEIGH, - Pharmaceutical Institute (PI), a leading provider of specialized training solutions for the pharmaceutical and biotech industry, today announced the release of a new e-course titled, Introduction to Health Policy. The course is the newest addition to the company's Managed Markets Excellence(TM) series. The new Introduction to Health Policy e-course provides a comprehensive overview of the challenges confronting the US healthcare system.

"As politicians and policy makers continue to debate options to reform our healthcare system, pharmaceutical and biotech companies are working to understand the potential effects of policy changes, both large and small," says Garry O'Grady, Senior Vice President of the Pharmaceutical Institute. "It is important for pharmaceutical and biotech companies to keep their teams abreast of these potential policy changes and to understand the possible implications to their business."

The Introduction to Health Policy e-course, developed in partnership with subject-matter experts from Campbell Alliance, provides team members with the background necessary to understand the potential policy changes facing the industry, as well as the impacts of these changes on the way companies develop, market, and sell their products. The 2-hour e-course consists of four comprehensive modules, providing team members with a solid foundation on current health policy issues, including

Health Policy Stakeholders -- This module provides an introduction to key players in the development of health policy, their roles, and the differing perspectives they "bring to the table." Team members will also become familiar with leaders spearheading current efforts to achieve health insurance reform.

US Health Coverage - A Current View -- As a necessary backdrop for understanding healthcare reform efforts, this module provides an overview of the existing health insurance landscape in the US. The roles played by both commercial health plans and the major government insurance programs are explored.

Health Reform Options -- For the first time in decades, major health insurance reform is at the top of the Capitol Hill agenda. This module clarifies the confusing array of reform options that are currently under consideration and explains the perspectives of advocates and opponents. Possible implications of change for the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sector are explored.

Hot Topics -- Health reform isn't the only front-burner health policy issue on Capitol Hill today. This module explores recent or proposed "movement" on five other pressing issues related to healthcare quality and cost, including Medicare Part D non-interference clause, comparative effectiveness research, drug reimportation, health information technology, and follow-on biologics. The discussion spotlights concerns that these issues have aroused in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry.

Group rates Florida medical schools' ties to pharmaceutical firms

The University of Florida medical school received an F and the University of Miami a B on a scorecard designed to measure ethical policies concerning professors' relationship with the pharmaceutical industry, the Pew Prescription Project announced Tuesday.

The Gainesville school received the grade because it refused to provide information to the 2009 American Medical Student Association PharmFree Scorecard.

Nova Southeastern's College of Osteopathic Medicine got a D, Florida State a B and the University of South Florida a C on the AMSA PharmFree Scorecard.

UM Dean Pascal Goldschmidt said the medical school has tightened up its policy since the Scorecard staff did its research. ``There has been greed and abuse in the way pharmaceutical companies work, but we can't afford to throw everything away with the bath water.

''The relationship between medical schools and the companies is extraordinarily important. Research with drugs has saved stopped 500,000 cardiac deaths. So we need to find a way to have a healthy, beneficial relationship with the industry,'' Goldschmidt said.

The Scorecard report includes categories measuring policies for gifts and meals from industry to doctors, paid promotional speaking for industry, acceptance of free drug samples, interaction with sales representatives and industry-funded education.

For UM Miller School of Medicine, the scorecard said there are ``strong, clearly organized policies on individual conflicts of interest. These policies could be made stronger with a complete ban on gifts, tighter restrictions on samples and a stronger firewall between industry funding and on-site educational activities.''

The scorecard said UM's limits on meals 'may not significantly curb on-site or off-site [restaurant] meals. Provisions to be occasional, informational and `modest by local standards' are not significant disincentives for meals.''

Goldschmidt said that since that Scorecard research was done, the policy was changed to ban all gifts and meals.

The report praised UM for ''exemplary language'' in its ethics on consulting relationships. ``This policy requires a formal contract for all consulting relationships, including the nature of services to be rendered and the amount of compensation for those services, which must be reasonable. Importantly, all such arrangements must be approved by the department chair or the dean.''

The scorecard also praised UM for ``a strong policy which requires employees to recuse themselves from purchasing decisions when either they or a close relation (family member, partner, close personal friend) have a financial interest in the business being considered. However, the policy does allow these same individuals to contribute to discussions surrounding the decision (without taking part in the actual vote), which risks undue influence on the outcome.''

The Scorecard said Nova has ``workable gifts policy and thorough oversight and compliance framework, but fails to address most other domains, including site access, consulting/speaking relationships, on- and off-site education, and disclosure of financial relationships.''

Over the past year, there have been repeated stories in the national press about doctors writing papers in favor of certain drugs after receiving unpublicized payments for speaking or consulting fees from the firms they're promoting.

The Scorecard, released Tuesday, gives an A or B to 45 of 149 medical schools.

University of Reading's new home to biomedical and pharmaceutical sciences opens

The Hopkins Building, on the University of Reading's Whiteknights campus, was formally opened today by Kelvin Hopkins MP, son of the renowned British physicist, Harold Horace Hopkins FRS.

The £17 million building, which will be home to the University's new facilities for biomedical and pharmaceutical sciences, is named after Professor Hopkins, who invented rod-lens endoscopes that led to the development of modern key-hole surgery and who held the Chair in Optics at the University from 1967 until 1984.

The prestigious and architecturally striking new facility seeks to emulate Professor Hopkins' reputation in biomedical research, housing multi-disciplinary activities focussing on the University's key areas of expertise in the biomedical and pharmaceutical sciences. The University's new Institute for Cardiovascular and Metabolic Research ( ICMR ) will be based in the Hopkins Building, alongside researchers in Pharmacology. This multidisciplinary centre brings together scientists from a wide range of research fields to work to understand the development of cardiovascular diseases, and the underlying obesity-related metabolic diseases from which they develop.

Professor Gordon Marshall, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Reading, said: "We are thrilled by the completion of this new building, which forms part of the University of Reading's major investment in state-of-the-art teaching and research facilities, to enhance the academic environment for our staff and students. It demonstrates our commitment to developing further our ability to undertake internationally important research, providing answers to society's challenges and improving lives across the globe.

"In opening the building today, we are also delighted to honour Professor Harold Hopkins, whose talent for theoretical maths and physics combined with an inventive genius led him to achieve significant life changing contributions to society himself."

The opening was attended by the family of Professor Hopkins, including his widow, Mrs Christine Hopkins, and son, the MP for Luton, Kelvin Hopkins. The Worshipful Mayor of Wokingham and the Right Worshipful Mayor of Reading, as well as Reading East MP Rob Wilson also toured the new building, along with alumni of the University, stakeholders, staff and research students.

Industry Professionals Get Schooled in Real-World Oncology Issues at NCCN Academy

NCCN announces open registration for a west coast session of NCCN Academy for Excellence & Leadership in Oncology(TM) School of Pharmaceutical & Biotech Business scheduled for July 9 - 10, 2009 in San Francisco. This new educational offering is designed to give pharmaceutical and biotech professionals the rare opportunity to view the oncology space and its current and future operational issues from the provider and payer perspective.

FORT WASHINGTON, - Industry professionals from pharmaceutical and biotech companies have the opportunity to become students for the day and improve their knowledge of real-world oncology issues at the NCCN Academy for Excellence & Leadership in Oncology(TM) School of Pharmaceutical & Biotech Business scheduled for July 9 - 10, 2009 in San Francisco.

The School of Pharmaceutical & Biotech Business is the first in the NCCN Academy for Excellence & Leadership in Oncology(TM) series of oncology certificate programs designed by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) to improve the working knowledge of key business, policy, coverage, clinical, reimbursement, informational, and operational issues in oncology and gather valuable insights for developing effective strategies for navigating the various constituencies in cancer care.

"With constant changes to both the clinical aspects and policy impacting the practice of oncology, clinicians are calling for business professionals to be well-versed in relevant information beyond the products they represent," says William T. McGivney, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer, NCCN. "As an authoritative source in oncology care, NCCN is pleased to offer robust, educational programs through NCCN Academy that can help professionals integrate key advances and marketplace changes into their business operations and decisions."

The School of Pharmaceutical & Biotech Business program features an interactive curriculum that exposes participants to the current environment, trends, and controversies facing the oncology sector and discussion about how key stakeholders, including industry, can create mutually successful working relationships. The scope of the subject matter is far reaching and ranges from the science and business of oncology; to the future of oral chemotherapy and biologics; to frank discussions about cancer policy, coverage and reimbursement, and working effectively with key decision makers.

NCCN Academy offers an introductory curriculum as well as an advanced program; the July program will offer advanced learning for experienced professionals.

Recent reports show that physicians find considerable value in meeting with industry representatives whose knowledge goes beyond product information, making for a more substantive, credible discussion. The School of Pharmaceutical & Biotech Business provides a casual and open learning atmosphere to help professionals better understand the impact of information on data and decisions that influence the availability and use of drugs and biologics in cancer care.

Enrollment is currently open for the west coast session of NCCN Academy for Excellence & Leadership in Oncology(TM) School of Pharmaceutical & Biotech Business scheduled for July 9 - 10 in San Francisco, as well as a session in Chicago scheduled for October 14 - 15. Complete registration information and a syllabus is available at NCCN.org.

Additional Schools within NCCN Academy for Excellence & Leadership in Oncology will include programs for cancer center administrators, clinical executive leaders, and oncology fellows in addition to pharmaceutical and biotech professionals.

Shobhit University has launched School of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Shobhit University has established the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences to meet the requirements of technically qualified personnel for research and development, academia, regulatory affairs and administration in Pharmaceutical Sciences field.

Shobhit University, the deemed university, has opened School of Pharmaceutical Sciences. This school offers various post graduate programs in the field of Pharmaceutical Sciences for e.g. Ph.d., M.Pharm. Etc. It also provides excellent facilities to the students as furnished class rooms, well equipped laboratories, library with huge collection of books, and many more. This Pharmaceutical school seeks for promoting and popularizes the professional education in the field of Pharmacy. In this school, admission for M.Pharm (Master of Pharmacy) has been started. In M.Pharm, Student can specialize in three fields i.e. Pharmaceutics, Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Chemistry. 

The eligibility criterion for this course is B.Pharm with minimum 55% marks from a recognized University, preferably with valid GATE score. The student can take admission in M.Pharm at School of Pharmaceutical Sciences by online entrance exam and an interview conducted by Shobhit University at its campus. This test is based on the syllabus of B.Pharm (GATE pattern) that comprises 50 multiple choice questions to be attempted in 90 minutes. Students can download the application form by log on http://www.shobhituniversity.ac.in. One can also get more information about the program by sending an email at admissionsshobhituniversity.ac.in or Send SMS SU to 53030. 

About Shobhit University 

Shobhit Institute of Engineering and Technology, Meerut has achieved the deemed university status in the year 2006. So Shobhit University was launched in the year 2007 on the birthday of its inspirer Babu Vijendra Kumar Ji. This university offers many undergraduate, graduate and professional degree programs for the Indian and International students.It also engages in research on the issues that are related to industries and global community. The aim of Shobhit University is to create a conductive, enabling academic climate to facilitate integration of younger education.